Improvement in hot-air bath apparatus



T. KEEGH. Hot-Air Bath Apparatus.

Patented Feb. 4,1879.

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UNITED STATES THOMAS KEECH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PATENT Futon,

IMPROVEMENT IN HOT-AIR BATH APPARATUS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 212,011, dated February 4, 1879; application filed August 14, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it' known that I, THOMAS KEEcH, of New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hot-Air Bath Apparatus; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this application. h

Previous to my invention various contrivances have been devised and patented adapted to be used for the purposes of giving hotair baths to invalids and other persons, in most of which, however, the patient has to either assume a reclining posture or submit to the inhalation of the hot air employed to sweat the body.

My invention has for its object to provide for use an apparatus which, while it shall be exceedingly simple and economic of construction and will occupy very little room, shall enable the person using it to occupy a sitting posture during treatment without having the head exposed to the action of the hot air; and to this end and object my invention consists in a box-like compartment of a size sufiicient for occupancy by the person to receive the treatment, and provided with a door for entrance and exit, niches for containing the lamps for heating the air within such receptacle, and means at the top for closing the box at this part when the patient sits down, with the exception of an orifice sufficiently large for the accommodation of his neck, whereby the head only of the person protrudes from the case, within which all the rest of the person is inclosed in such manner as to effect the propertreatment.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to more fully describe the construction and operation of an apparatus embracing the same, referring by letters to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of the apparatus, with the front door and top lids open.

In the several figures the same part is designated by the same letter of reference.

A is a cabinet-like case or box of a size sufficient to permit the presence, conveniently, of a person in a sitting posture. This case or box is provided in front with a door, B, through which the person can enter the box and with the top lids O (J, which, when closed, shut up the top of the case with the exception of a hole at D, (see Fig. 2,) somewhat larger than the neck of a person, and which is formed by a semicircular cutaway in the solid part of the top, and the two quartercircle cutaways in two corners of the lid (1 (J, as clearly shown in the drawings.

E E E are three (more or less) niche-like receptacles at the sides and back of the case A, near its bottom, for the accommodation of lamp cases or holders F F F, which latter are made of sheet metal, of the form shown, (by preference,) and contain each a spirit lamp, G. Each of the lamp-cases F is made, as shown, with an exposed door at h, provided with holes 5, for the free admission of air for the combustion of the lamp, and each is formed, as shown, with a perforated top at K for the escape of the hot air and products of combustion from the said lamp-case into the interior of the box or case A.

As'illustrated at Fig. 3, M is a stool or other seat for the patient, so located within the box that the persons head (when he is comfortably seated on the stool) will be in the proper position toprotrude through the hole 1), and adjustable in height.

The operationwill be understood to be as follows: Having lighted the lamps, the person enters the box or case A, and after having closed the door B seats himself upon the stool M, closing the lids O 0 around his neck, so as to leave the head protruding, as seen at Fig. 3, and-remaining in this position as long as desired has all but his head subjected to the action of the heated air in the box. If necessary, a towel, cushion, or other device may be placed around the neck of the patient, (by himself or attendant,) either above or beneath the closed lids O U, to form a tighter joint where the neck is surrounded by the top of the box, and the temperature within the box may be varied, of course, at will, by

either the use of more or less of the lamps provided, or by sometimes slightly opening and reclosing the lids O 0.

It will be seen that by the means shown the person can very conveniently take a sweat of any desired duration and intensity, while at the same time the whole apparatus or contrivance provided for the purpose is of such dimensions that it can be kept in a small bedroom or other closet, and may be easily moved about for use in a persons apartments.

The stool M, I make to revolve on its pedestal, so that the patient may turn round to change the relative positions of his body to the heating devices and hot-air currents discharged therefrom, and also adjust the height of the seat to suit him.

It is proposed, of course, to use spirit-lamps which will make no smoke, and the products of combustion of which will not be unpleasant nor injurious to the body of the person using the bath.

Having sufficiently explained the construction and operation of my improved l1ot air bath apparatus to enable any skilled person to make and use the same, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In combination with the cabinet-like ease adapted to accommodate the patient, and provided with suitable doors and seat, and having formed therein niches E, the lamp cases or holders F, constructed as described, removable from the cabinet, and adapted to receive the lamps and air-currents from the outside, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 8th day of August, 187 S.

THOMAS KEEOH.

In presence of- E. WOLFF, JACOB FELBEL. 

